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Having purchased my first 1911 in 1969, I've never been without one since. Yes, I tried numerous plastic wonders but never kept them. A few years ago I sold off all the plastic and kept only the 1911's. I now have 7 of them in 45 and 10mm. FOR ME, they are the ideal handgun for my needs and uses. CC,HD, and range use; they will do it all, and that's all I can ask for. They are no more maintenance heavy than the plastic was. As with all semi's, magazines are the critical point in successful reliability. For me spray and pray capacity is a waste of ammo, besides 2 extra mags are easy enough to carry, not large and bulky. To me, they are no more difficult to carry than any other gun their size (I don't and wont own or carry micro or subcompact handguns). Just go with works best for you, that's all that matters.
 
45 holds no special place around my gun safe or reloading bench Only 1911 we have my wife claimed as her EDC a kimber ultra 9mm !!

I have carried a 40 sw since 1990 as my primary carry pistol firestar M40 then a tp40 kahr and now a P320c for the last 2.6 years filled with 13+1 of 155gr 40sw at 1318fps 600ft ftlbs loads but as handgun get smaller so does the cartridge . Have a s&w 669 as a carry option
 
My primary carry handgun 95% of the time is a 5" 1911 in either .45 ACP or 10mm. I am most accurate shooting a 5" 1911 or a single-action revolver with a longer barrel for a longer sight radius. My pocket BUG 100% of the time is a Sig P938 9mm which is a miniature 1911 without the grip safety. I go to my Glock G40 10mm or my Glock G35 .40 S&W in very remote rural areas for added capacity. I go to a revolver in .45 Colt, .44 magnum, or .454 Casull in bear, moose, or cougar country.
 
I had a love/hate relationship with the 1911. I could field strip and reassemble one in my teens, but I could never shoot one well until I spent an afternoon with a Navy Senior Chief SAMI (Small Arms Marksmanship Instructor). He use the "pencil technique" to teach me to shoot expert with the 1911 in only one hour. I went on to compete on a Navy shooting team with a match-tuned 1911, I got to shoot many thousands of rounds at taxpayer expense and I got really good with it. Historically, I also have to recognize that the 1911 has probably taken out more enemies of our society than any other handgun design. I also have to respect that despite it's age, it is still carried by elite military and LEO units and it is used by many combat shooting competitors. If it were not a great, timeless design I don't think that would be true.

I don't think it is the greatest gun in the world. I don't think there can be such a title anymore, because there are too many great designs out there that fill a plethora of different niches and prefernces. I don't even think the 1911 is even the greatest Browning design. I think that would go to the BHP.

But I really love the 1911, despite its critics. I will always own one. I have a Colt MK IV Series '70. It has been a "safe queen" for a few years, but I just bought Wilson 8-round mags for it and I plan to take it in for a reliability job and sight upgrade soon. It will be my "heavy carry" gun. For me, YMMV, it inspires confidence, I know I can hit well with it and it has a great trigger, right out of the box.
 
My primary carry handgun 95% of the time is a 5" 1911 in either .45 ACP or 10mm. I am most accurate shooting a 5" 1911 or a single-action revolver with a longer barrel for a longer sight radius. My pocket BUG 100% of the time is a Sig P938 9mm which is a miniature 1911 without the grip safety. I go to my Glock G40 10mm or my Glock G35 .40 S&W in very remote rural areas for added capacity. I go to a revolver in .45 Colt, .44 magnum, or .454 Casull in bear, moose, or cougar country.
My Son just pick up a S&W 460, real hand cannon and it shoots 45 Colt, .454 Casull, .460 S&W Magnum. Even up past 2,000 FPS. Makes my 44 mag look like 38 S&W.:yup:
 
My Son just pick up a S&W 460, real hand cannon and it shoots 45 Colt, .454 Casull, .460 S&W Magnum. Even up past 2,000 FPS. Makes my 44 mag look like 38 S&W.:yup:
I had a 5" S&W 460 and an 8 3/8" S&W 460 when I worked in remote wilderness areas around brown bear. I sold them after I retired. I have a 4" S&W 29-2, an 8" Colt Anaconda, a 10 1/2" Ruger Super Blackhawk, a 6 1/2" Ruger 50th Anniversary Flattop Blackhawk, and a 16" Winchester '94 in .44 magnum. I have a 7 1/2" Ruger Super Redhawk in .454 Casull.
 
I have plenty of practical handguns, semis and revolvers. Some are "tupperware," others are steel, most are both. I've shot many, but I don't own a 1911 (though I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night...).

Is there a better shooting, more accurate handgun than a stock 1911 in .45 caliber? Boring ergos, heavy to carry- but is there a "better" handgun platform/caliber combo if you want to "get the job done?"
I can make the case for revolvers- a good wheel gun trumps all when it comes to simple operation and power. But for power, capacity, accuracy all rolled into one, does the 1911 win?

Start your engines....
Of course! But it depends on what "the job" is. There is no way my Colt Combat Commander shoots as straight as the Gold Cup, or the Springer Trophy Match, both BTW have target sights that would make it harder to shoot in a low-light, defensive situation.

If you're talking sheer accuracy then I think you're right about wheel guns. I have Colt and Ruger revolvers that are extremely accurate. When I shoot from a pistol rest they're easily under 3" @ 50yds. They also have the edge because emergency/failure procedure is to pull the trigger again.

As was stated, you're not going to get as much precision with a floating barrel, period.

Guns are like knives. Just about any knife that's sharp will skin a deer.
Most used to look like this:



Now this is the style:


I like the more modern style. I like a short, scalpel-like blade. I find I have a lot more control and can trim what I'm not going to eat as I'm dressing. To me it works better than with a longer knife, but I can certainly dress a deer with an old school skinner as well. The place I take my deer the guy uses a big, long, old-school skinning knife. He is about ten times faster than I am, and probably does 15-20 deer an hour using a chain hoist to pull off the skin once he makes his cuts.

Yea, I can dress game, but no one is going to pay me to do it.

It comes down to preference and what tool you like to use.
 
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I like this analysis; it's kind of how I feel. I don't carry a 1911 primarily due to the weight, and I don't like the thumb safety either.
I like the thumb safety. I posted on another thread someplace that I won't carry a 1911 because I may forget to sweep the thumb safety as I draw the pistol and I would be in trouble for sure. I have read that many of these guys that have put many thousands of rounds downrange and have shot a heap of 1911's that they automatically sweep the thumb safety off when shooting everything, including REVOLVERS. I am trying to get into that muscle memory to where I do that on all my handguns and then maybe, I will feel comfortable carrying 1911's regularly. I love 1911's
 
Interesting that this thread should appear just now. Only yesterday, a young gun enthusiast co-worker and I had a great conversation along these lines. I'm not ex-military, or LEO - just a long-time handgun enthusiast. I shoot a good bit, although not the hundreds or thousands of rounds per month that some do. In the last 40 years I've had upwards of 100 handguns. My EDC's are plastic fantastics of the M&P flavor.

I related to my young friend how I just really seem to shoot a 1911 better than any other pistol. He asked me, "If you were facing a BG fifty yards away who was pointing a gun at you, and all you had was a pistol to defend yourself with, what would you want it to be?" My answer was my DW Valor. I answered pretty much without thinking, so I guess for me, the 1911 has proven itself well enough! :yup:
 
The best 1911 I ever owned was a Wilson Combat I owned in the late 70"s. There is no need for me to own anything else, I considered the WC 1911 the best.

I now consider double stack 9 DA/SA to be the best and my choice is CZ's and Sigs. CZ's and Cajun Gunworks put together some very fine guns. They shoot very flat and accurate.
 
Discussion starter · #36 ·
But you decided to chuck a grenade into the room anyway, Doug ? :rolleyes:
Just because I don't carry one or like the safety doesn't mean 1911's aren't one of the finest handgun choices for others. And yes, it was a tiny grenade...:wave:
 
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Discussion starter · #38 ·
Methinks it was more of a stink bomb. :35:
Not intentionally- I knew there would be strong opinions, both expressed and withheld. But it was a genuine question and I've enjoyed the responses.
 
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